Darling
by Wendy McCalister
Summary: Shuichi was well aware how cheesy it was to say this – in fact even his close friends had told him so – but he knew from the moment he laid eyes on her, she was the one.


**Darling**

 **Summary:** Shuichi was well aware how cheesy it was to say this – in fact even his close friends had told him so – but he knew from the moment he laid eyes on her, she was the one.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

When he first saw her, she had been a transfer student. But, that wasn't exactly what caught his attention.

It was that blue hair; long, silky blue hair that was strangely but _wonderfully_ similar to the shade of the sky he liked to stare at from time to time. Her wide, ingenuous and hope-filled purple eyes that reminded him of that amethyst stone his mother had engraved on her wedding ring.

But most of all, it was that smile on her face. That warm smile, one which was so rare and genuine, yet she managed to pull it off without a moment of struggle despite the whispers amidst the students in class. It was that smile that seemed to outshine everything else, that seemed to make her overshadow everyone else in the room, and for a fraction of a second, he thought she reminded him of golden sunrays.

He had been too busy staring at her – he had an inkling suspicion that his mouth was wide open – that he failed to notice Hiei nudging him by the shoulder. And even after absent-mindedly giving the shorter male the eraser he had been asking for, Shuichi's attention had been fully on the new girl as she spoke. Her honey-dew lips parted, there was a soft inhale of breath, then came that sweet, cheery voice of hers,

"Hello, everyone! My name is Botan Fukuyama, and I'm a transfer student from Osaka. It's a pleasure to meet you all!"

Her friendly disposition seemed to make the judgemental whispers of his classmates die down, fading away along with the gentle sound of the bone-chilling breeze from outside the opened windows in the room. Laughter soon filled the whole class before they all began to bombard her with questions, most of them personal but the girl managed to answer without a moment of faltering that quirk on her lips. It was almost an oddity how they had been busy insulting her about the color of her hair (" _See that blue hair? I've never seen it before, she_ _ **must**_ _have dyed it! It can't be natural._ ") but she managed to chase all their doubts and upcoming hatred and jealousy away with just her introduction. Almost remarkable, when he thought about it.

She was transferring due to a recommendation from her former classroom teacher that she should further her studies at an elite school, she had explained. She did not have a boyfriend, but she had dated for at least three times and she—

"Hey, Minamino." He snapped out of his thoughts as Hiei's voice called out to him, breaking the spell she had managed to put on him. He turned to look at his close friend, ignoring the slight smirk lingering on his lips and the silent amusement dancing in his pools of crimson as he added, teasingly, if he might add, "Done gawking over the newbie?" It wasn't a question, Shuichi knew, but feeling defensive all of a sudden, he couldn't stop himself from uttering out,

"I wasn't _gawking_. I was merely… observing. Yeah, observing." But his voice dropped a few octaves lower from its slight indignant tone as Botan's eyes caught his. It seemed as if time had stopped, felt as if it had been infinity – when in reality, it had only been three seconds, tops – before the girl flushed and looked away, seemingly embarrassed over the short gaze locking. And in spite of being already accustomed to such a reaction from the opposite sex, it was the first time he actually reflected her, turning bright scarlet in the face.

And as weird as it might be to say this, he really liked her. He didn't love her yet. No, there was more time for that. But, the attraction was there. Sparks flew, time froze, and everything else in the room was a blur, except for her; she was as clear as crystal—

Then, all of a sudden, contrary to his usual analyzing, think-first-act-later attitude, he went with his instincts this time as he decided that he wanted to get to know her better.

* * *

He had tried to talk to her during third period when the teacher was absent, but she had ran away to her newfound peers crowding at the other corner of the classroom.

She had ran away. Literally escaped. And Shuichi had stood there, dumbfounded by her sudden departure, before wondering if he had done anything wrong to upset her.

He continued to stand there, with one hand hovering stupidly in the air as his gaze transfixed on the blank wall. Hiei walked up to him about a few moments later – as if to rescue him from the humiliation of looking so idiotic in public, something which was deemed unseemly, considering his reputation – and for the second time that day, nudged him by the elbow. He usually didn't need that much nudging, really, though today seemed to be a weirdly special case.

He blinked, clearing away the haziness that had clouded his vision. Peering down at his right side, Shuichi came face to face with a bewildered Hiei, though there was a mingling interest on the usual stoic countenance of his good peer.

"What?" He slipped on his mask of composure, his hands reaching down to bury themselves in the warmth of his pockets. Hiei seemed offended for a milisecond, as if saying ' _You think that's gonna work on me? I've known you for years, fool_ ,' before sounding off a disgusted scoff.

"You look like one of your awestruck fangirls," Hiei gave his snarky remark, but Shuichi merely smiled, no longer bothering to hide his obvious attraction towards the girl as he realized there was no use with someone who could read him so easily like Hiei.

"She's different," he said, without a tinge of hesitation, and catching the doubtful glance Hiei fleetingly shot his way, added, "I don't know how, I can just tell."

Hiei furrowed his brows, before nodding his head and seeming to consider something. "Is it her looks? I mean, sure, she has very exotic looks, so I can at least understand. But my _sister_ has _green_ hair and _red_ eyes, and half of our friends are born with weird colors for locks of hair and their irises, so I really can't tell why you'd be interested in someone like her—"

"It isn't just about her outer appearance, Hiei," Shuichi cut off further words from his friend, with the slight adding of a light shrug of his left shoulder, "She just seems… _real_."

That piqued Hiei's curiousity and he leaned slightly closer to the redhead. "Real?" he echoed, inwardly pondering in what way the girl had expressed herself in such a way.

It was considered an uncommon compliment from Shuichi, to be called ' _real_ ', of all things, as the prodigy could normally tell if someone was fake – and trust him, most of the people he knew were – with one, fleeting glance. But, apparently, this newbie had seemed ' _real_ ' enough to bring out Shuichi's romantic interest, so you couldn't exactly blame him for wanting to know more.

Shuichi shrugged once again, but a small smile lingered at the corners of his lips. Hiei noticed his gaze on Botan as in a gentle yet firm voice, he answered, "Her smile seems real."

The shorter male nearly felled over, and there wasn't even anything to trip over with. " _That_ 's it? Her _smile_? Her freaking _smile_ , and suddenly you're going gaga over her?" Hiei sounded incredulous, but that was understandable. During the long years he had been friends with Shuichi, never had the redhead showed any attraction towards the opposite sex. Hell, Hiei even started considering the fact his companion might not have been _straight_. And now did he finally seem normal enough to like a girl, he had the oddity enough to tell him that he liked her just because of her smile? _Oh, for the love of_ … Maybe Shuichi was losing his marbles.

Shuichi's lips curved upwards into a patient smile, having noticed the weird look Hiei was giving him as if he had just grown two more heads or something. "I never said I was 'gaga' over her. I mean, sure, she's intriguing, but there's more to her than that, Hiei. I just don't know what yet."

"Well," Hiei snorted, as he finally regained enough composure to collect himself and not mess up his face anymore, "you have all the time you need to find out more about her and what makes her so special. Sure…" His voice dripped with sarcasm, causing the taller lad to blink in befuddlement.

"What does that mean?" Shuichi asked him, his emerald orbs narrowed slightly in a doubtful look. Hiei shrugged, but a smirk found its way to his lips.

"You don't honestly believe I didn't see her running away from you when you tried to talk to her, do you?" Hiei said with a teasing edge in his voice, and he could have sworn Shuichi's body visibly tensed.

"It was a miscalculation on my part," Shuichi spoke evenly, his mouth slowly curling upwards into a tart smile. "I should have chosen a better time."

Hiei ignored him. "Isn't that an excuse?" Shuichi opened his mouth to protest, but Hiei swiftly cut him short with another sneer, "Maybe you _are_ right. She _is_ different. I mean, I'd reckon surely there's only like, oh, I don't know, 0.9999999999 percent of the female population who would flee when you try to make small conversation with them, right? Yes, yes, so she _is_ in the minority. Or perhaps her type is on the verge of extinction."

Shuichi seemed torn between kicking him in the gut and counting to ten to calm his brewing irritation down. "Really, Hiei, no wonder you don't have a girlfriend. You just called someone extinct. Sure, that's very _charming_ of you, Hiei," he retorted, his voice dripping heavily with sarcasm, and his mouth quirked up into an equally sardonic grin.

"Yeah, whatever." Hiei shrugged. "At least, I'm not the one trying to seduce the only girl on earth who doesn't seem interested in me."

He could have sworn a red eyebrow twitch, but paid no mind to it as he proceeded to give an 'encouraging' tap on Shuichi's back.

His smirk seemed to take on a more playful approach as he uttered, "Well, I wish you good luck, anyways."

He received a single, savage curse thrown his way in return.

* * *

Shuichi found out about two days later that Botan was that way with all guys. She was friendly and talkative with the girls, but he couldn't help but take note of the way she scurried away whenever a boy would try to approach her. It took him a bit of his sharp observation to notice this small fact about her, but he was unsure of how he should take it. On one hand, he was relieved that she wasn't avoiding him like a plague because she disliked something about him, but on the other hand, this made it even harder for him to get closer to her.

Shuichi never imagined being so troubled over a girl. And one he hadn't even known for a week, no less. Maybe he really was going insane, like Hiei did.

Speaking of Hiei anyway, Shuichi made a mental note to take vengeance against the short male for blurting out his whole attraction towards the new girl to their other peers in a matter of two hours. Shuichi had never wanted recess to be over sooner than he had that day as he was surrounded by his friends' constant teasing, snickers, and not to mention, Hiei's more than often infuriating smirk.

He expelled a soft sigh through slightly parted lips as his thoughts took a not-so-surprisingly turn to focus, once again, on the blue-haired girl he was strangely enamored with. What was he supposed to do _now_? He must have at least tried ten times everyday to talk to her, but each time, his efforts resulted in nothing but him staring into space as she left him hanging over and over again, to the point he was beginning to wonder if he was now starting to become an embodiment of rejection and desperation. It was a tad bit frustrating, to be honest, to try this hard for a girl who probably had a fear towards men, considering her lack of desire to communicate with said opposite sex. But, he couldn't seem to know when to give up. For some reason, even though he tried to get over her, he couldn't. He was drawn to her like magnet, his attention darting towards her even without his realization at times. She was the apple of his eyes, and not even in any way, could he change that fact about her. Even if she were to run away whenever he chased after her. Which should have served as a signal for him to just stop and leave her alone. But he didn't care. Couldn't even afford to care. He just wanted her, plain and simple.

So as school hours were coming to an inevitable end, he'd decided; if she didn't want to talk to him, then that was fine. But, he would try any means possible to get her to notice him. Sure, she must have noticed him by now, considering he was the only guy in the whole school who was still crazy enough to go after her. But, that wasn't enough. He needed someway; anyway to get her to talk to him. Plus, he was getting tired of merely watching her from the sidelines, taking in even the littlest of details about her.

That was why he went straight to the flower shop a friend of his mother's worked at, and bought a bouquet of roses before asking the ever so nice Yuka-san to deliver it to Botan's place – don't ask him where he got her address, it took him an unbearable amount of persuassion with Keiko Yukimura before the brunette finally decided that he didn't mean her friend any harm and not-so-generously gave it to him. He hadn't asked for Yusuke's help; the delinquent had been too busy kicking Kuwabara's ass… as per usual.

"A girlfriend?" Yuka-san inquired with a small smile attached to her countenance, her eyes slightly wrinkled at the sides. Shuichi returned the smile with his own, but his was wider.

"Perhaps one day," he answered in a cryptic way, before handing Yuka-san a couple of paper of cash and heading out the door.

The chiming bell signalled his departure, just as somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he wished the girl, Botan wouldn't throw the flowers away.

He wasn't sure how he would handle it if she did.

* * *

It took her about a month later to figure it out it was him who had been giving her flowers every day, thanks to his friends' contant sidelong glances at her and not-so-secretive snickers. Shuichi wasn't sure what to think, really. He'd thought he'd made it clear that it was him, but then, Keiko came up to him and told him that he was actually surprisingly sweet, sending Botan flowers and all, before chiding him that he should have at least let himself known. It took him a while to put two and two together before he realized he had forgotten to tell her his name on the little note he had joined with the bouquet of roses. And not to mention, every day of the month. How embarrassing. Well, you couldn't exactly blame the guy; he was new to this courting thing. But then again, he was normally highly attentive of everything he did, so why did he repeat the same silly mistake over and over again? Must be the effect she had on him. He couldn't even think straight or focus in class these days because of her. But that was besides the point. What did she think of him when she'd found out that he was her so-called secret admirer who sent her different kinds of flowers every day as if it was some kind of routine, as if it didn't cost him any money? He couldn't help but wonder. And it drove him crazy how she showed no reaction whatsoever.

Hell, when he thought about it, she didn't even spare him a glance.

He frowned. Did he do something wrong? Should he not have sent her the flowers? Did she not like them? No, that couldn't be it. He saw the way she brightened up whenever she passed by the lilies the gardener had tended to everyday at the back of the school. So, that couldn't possibly be the case. There must have been some sort of mistake done on his part, but god help him, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it was, no matter how much time he spent overthinking it and driving himself crazier than he probably already was.

So, one day, when school was over, he just decided; _oh, to hell with this. I've had enough_ , and went to approach her just as she was getting to her bike.

And call it impulse, but he could have sworn he grabbed her hand. But, he couldn't really comprehend if he really did, as she was swift to tug hers out of his grasp.

She made to get on the bike, but he stopped her mid-way as he stepped in front of her, becoming the only thing blocking her from her only transportation to get home. He had expected an exasperated glare, but for some reason, Botan had seemed scared and distrustful. _Why?_

 _Well, the only way to know is to ask_ , he mused in his thoughts, watching as the girl glanced around nervously, almost as if looking some sort of means to escape. If this had been the first time she did it, he would have thought it endearing, but now, it was really frustrating to see her like this.

He sighed, but stared at her straight in the eyes. "Don't go," he whispered, voice soft, but firm, giving her the idea that he wasn't about to give in until he got what he wanted.

She seemed to understand and reluctantly nodded her head, but he couldn't help but notice her taking a step back from him, as if to gain some more distance between them. He ignored it, and went on, "I need to know. Why have you been avoiding me?" He went out on a limb, deciding that he'd had enough dawdling for the past month.

Surprise crossed her features, almost as if she hadn't expected him to be so upfront about it. But, it quickly disappeared, replaced with a deep frown that marred her forehead.

"I…" she paused, but then stopped herself. She diverted the conversation to another topic as she asked, "What about you? Why have you been sending me flowers?" Her voice was soft, but Shuichi noticed the underlying hurt lying dormant within the suspiscion dripping in her tone. It served to further confuse him, and he genuinely sounded curious as he responded by questioning back,

"Should I not?"

He could have sworn Botan bristled. Her tender hands curled into vengeful fists, as her pools of amethyst peeking through narrowed eyelids shot him a vehement glare. "Do you think this is a game?" she half shouted, throwing him off guard as he stared at her, wide-eyed. She threw her arms in the air, a groan of deep exasperation echoing through her frowning lips. "I don't know about you, Minamino, but I sure as hell don't think this is funny."

It took Shuichi what felt like interminable before he could muster up the right amount of courage to voice out his thoughts, "What are you talking about? I never considered any of this as a sick joke, Bo- Fukuyama-san. I seriously don't understand why you're so upset." He corrected himself upon seeing her features growing fierce. But then, she suddenly felled quiet.

And it scared him, really. It scared him to think that maybe that small voice at the back of his mind had been right all along. It scared him to realize that maybe she _did_ hate him. But, why? What crime did he commit to deserve this treatment? All he'd ever been was patient with her antics, all he'd ever been was persistent in his efforts to pursue her – or maybe that was it. He was trying too hard. And she just, frankly, didn't like that in guys. Or maybe he was too feminine for her taste. Maybe she just hated him for no reason at all. Maybe she wasn't straight, like Hiei had said, as she seemed adamant to keep a certain distance with men.

He sure as heck didn't know what it was. And it was killing him the longer she remained unresponsive.

For a moment, he could have sworn he saw her eyes water. "You boys—" Her voice cracked at the end of her two-words sentence, and Shuichi was torn between bringing her into his arms or just standing there like a statue as she began to cry, the crystalline tears cascading down her cheeks practically screaming for his fingers to wipe them away. But, he couldn't. He feared she would fall apart if he did. A few more violent sobs racked through her small form before she peered up at him and gave him a long, hard look. A sharp intake of breath, then came the words,

"You all think love is a game. You chase after girls like me, because we're apparently the easiest to catch, shower us with presents and sweet words and unfulfilled promises, before throwing us away like garbage when you grow tired of us. We spend countless hours overthinking, wondering what went wrong and crying ourselves to sleep. Well, guess what? I'm gonna stay away from guys, I won't get hurt anymore. I decided that way before moving here!" Her voice continued to rise up a notch the longer she cried, but it grew soft as she went on, "But, here you are, making it so hard for me to not think about you everyday. Making it more difficult for me to stay cold-hearted and immune to the magic and heartbreaks of love. I was doing just fine on my own. But then you came along and you had to- you had to try so hard. _Why_?" The last word escaped her trembling, slightly pale lips in a broken whisper, and it rendered him speechless.

Now, he finally understood. The reason she tried to flee whenever men approached her. The reason she had been trying so desperately to avoid him this entire time. The reason she was angry at him. It was because she was tired of getting her heart broken. Because she wanted to protect herself from all the emotional pain. Because she hated falling in love. And that was exactly what he was making her feel; he was making her _fall_ for him. And she hated him for that.

"Botan." He took her by the shoulders, ignoring the way she flinched under his touch. But, she didn't pull away, so he took that as a sign that it was okay. Or maybe it wasn't, but she was just trying not to run. "I'm not-" He inhaled a breath. "I'm not like them. I'm not like those jerks who hurt you."

She didn't meet his gaze, and instead fixated hers on the ground beneath their feet. "How would I know?" Her voice, barely audible, was so fearful it reminded him of a scared little girl. It broke his heart to see her like this. And he could already feel his blood boiling at whoever hurt her to the point she was _this_ emotionally damaged. But, he couldn't afford to give in to his anger right now. He would scare her, he knew, so he took a calming breath to cool down.

"I-I don't know," he answered, honestly, "I just don't know. But, I know I won't do that to you. I-I really like you. I mean, like, _really_ like you. You've been plaguing my thoughts, and I can't even focus on anything I enjoy doing anymore because of you. But, that's not necessarily a bad thing. It just means that you mean _that_ much to me."

"W-why?" She finally lifted her head to look at him, and he gave her a tender smile, though his eyes were dead serious. He hoped that he could make her believe him, but he knew that it would take some time before she was completely convinced that he wasn't playing games with her.

"I don't know, Botan. There's just…" He paused to muse over the correct words, before proceeding to go on, "something different about you. Something special. And I can't help but want that all to myself. Want _you_ all to myself."

Her cheeks darkened into a cute pink at his words and more at the intense gaze he was pinning her with. But, her body seemed to relax a little as her tense shoulders slouched down. Although, there still remained a tinge of doubt in her amethyst irises, just a little bit in the midst of her slightly trusting look. "How am I special? I mean, I'm not cute, I'm no fun, and I…" she halted in her words, just as another wave of tears threatened to come out.

This time, he didn't hesitate to kiss them away.

The girl jerked in surprise, but she didn't push him away. Not this time.

Her body quivered as he trailed his lips over her smooth, warm cheeks, to her pointed nose, before finally descending on the place he intended them to be. He kissed her gently, as gently as he could, before he pulled away, not wanting to go too far even though his insides were desperately screaming for more. He didn't want to chase her away, after all. Not now that it seemed he had finally broke through the first wall amongst the thousands that still stood tall around her heart.

"You are the most attractive woman I have ever met," He smiled down at her as she blushed once again at his choice of words, "and it is of no importance to me whether you can entertain me or not. If I really want you, then none of that will matter. And…" His fingers were tender as he brushed them across her bangs, his touch almost featherlike as he felt the locks of blue hair slipped in and out between his digits, "you _are_ special. Although, I have no clue in what way you are, right now, I assure you that if you give me a chance, I will figure it out. And I will tell it to you everyday to remind you how special and important you are. Give me a chance, and I will prove to you that not all men are the same, and that I am, in all aspects, sincere about my feelings towards you." His voice was heavy with raw emotion, he knew. He was showing too much of himself, he knew. And he was probably making a fool of himself. But, he could have cared less. He needed her to know how he felt. Needed her to understand. Needed her to give him an opportunity. Even one was enough.

And true enough, she nodded; albeit, she was hesitant, but she nodded anyways. "One chance," she whispered, looking at him hard in the eyes so that he knew how serious all of this was to her, "One chance, and if you mess it up, I'll leave."

Shuichi could have sworn his face disappeared behind the huge grin he sported. That was more than enough, more than he could ever wish for. "One chance," he repeated, in an affirming tone. "Thank you, Botan."

Botan nodded again, before silence engulfed them. Shuichi realized that she didn't have anything more to say, and took that as a sign that maybe he was prolonging her stay too much. He gave her an apologetic smile, before allowing her space to get to her bike.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was getting this late." Already, he could see that the sun was setting. "You must be in a hurry to get home. I should—"

"Wait!" Botan's voice called out to him before he could take another step. He whirled around, expected her to tell him to promise something else to her, and—

The girl stood up on her toes, then, in one swift motion, touched her lips with his. A hand grabbed his, and pushed a piece of paper into his palm before enclosing his fingers around it.

Botan pulled apart, leaving only the warmth of her mouth on his and Shuichi fought to collect himself. He could have sworn the air left his lungs. He had never felt so breathless he thought he could die. Yet, he also felt so _alive_. He watched her cheeks turn bright red, before she quickly cleared her throat in an attempt to cover up her own embarrassment.

"Call," was the only thing she said before she spared him one last glance and spun around on her heels. She left then, leaving only the memory of their shared kiss, and the promise of much more to come as she rode away with her bike. For a moment there, he thought he saw a fleeting smile graze her full lips.

If Shuichi were to die right now, he would be more than willing. Because he would die a happy man.

* * *

Shuichi wanted to make their first date special.

After a short first conversation with the girl on the phone – she'd sounded meek when she'd accepted his call, but he didn't exactly mind it. He was glad she even took the call anyways – Botan had said yes to him asking her out a week later. After seven days of just talking to her through late-night phone calls, but not approaching her during school hours, Shuichi decided that it was time for them to do things like any normal couple would do. It took her a lot of time to think it over, but Shuichi was more than happy that she had agreed.

But now that he stood here, clad in a black tuxedo, with a bouquet of pink peonies in his hands, staring at his own reflection on a glass window of a convenience store, Shuichi couldn't help but realize how nervous he really was. His heart was pounding and his hands were clammy, and he hadn't even seen her yet.

He hadn't told her where they were going, even when she'd asked him for god knows how many times. He wanted it to be a surprise, he wanted it to be romantic. Truth be told though, he hadn't even an inkling of clue what he was doing, only dressing up and going on with his plans according to the romance movies he'd watched on TV.

But as Botan showed up in her white t-shirt with a pink tank top underneath, accompanied with blue denim shorts that reached her knees, and a pair of white sandals to serve as protection for her feet, Shuichi couldn't help but feared if he had made a big, _big_ mistake. It was a much too casual outfit to go out with for an extravagant dinner at an expensive restaurant, and though she had looked pretty as per usual, Shuichi's mouth had dropped wide open in shock. God, please don't tell him he had already screwed up. And not to mention, on their first date, too! And it hadn't even be an hour yet.

He felt like hiding under a rock, and probably staying there forever, or at least until his overwhelming embarrassment had died down. Maybe he _should_ have asked for Yusuke's or Kuwabara's help; at least, _they_ had experience. But, he was never the kind to ask for assistance, even from those he considered his good friends. But maybe he should have. Damn him and his tendency to do everything on his own.

Botan stood about ten steps away from him, awkward like a statue as her amethyst orbs peered nervously here and there. She didn't make a move to advance towards him and seemed adamant to avoid his gaze. Shuichi waited for her to do something – because he sure as hell didn't know what was he doing anymore – but after what felt like ages of tense, uncomfortable silence, with the exception of the sounds of chatters coming from the crowd passing by them, the redhead just couldn't take it anymore. He went straight towards her, and she, wide-eyed and as if on instincts, staggered back before stopping herself just as he halted until he was seven inches from her. He stared at her, and she stared back.

"W-why are you wearing-?" she finally spoke, before cutting herself short and settling with pointing at his outfit. Shuichi's mouth curled upwards into what he hoped came across as a warm smile, though that was hard to accomplish when his insides were practically screaming in humilliation.

"I was about to take you to a restaurant," he answered slowly, "for dinner."

Botan's index finger hovered in the air for about a few more seconds, before realization eventually dawned on her features. Oh. _Oh_. So, that was why… "I-I see." She nodded slowly, suddenly even more embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know—"

"No, it is quite alright, Botan," he quickly reassured her, his arms waving around in a frantic manner. "I was- It was wholly my fault. I should have told you where I was taking you, then maybe…" All of a sudden, Shuichi recalled the flowers he still clutched in his hand, after nearly forgetting about them during the entire time filled with uneasiness and embarrassment. He hoped to ease the tension as he pulled his lips into the most charming smile he could manage and handed her the peonies. "For you," he said simply, hoping that this small gesture was enough to make up for his terrible miscalculation.

There was a hesitant pause, although it wasn't due to her attempting to push him away, as he caught on to the surprise in her slightly broad eyes. But, she accepted them anyway, and Shuichi expelled a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

She had smiled.

"Thank you."

* * *

Shuichi didn't know if the heavens were playing a cruel trick on him or something, but he soon found himself in another predicament.

Botan sat across him on the round, crystal table, her gaze fixated on the other customers in the restaurant. And he was just practically _dying_ to say something.

After having reassured Botan that it was okay to dine at what seemed like a five-star restaurant, the two engaged themselves in what could be perceived as a session of getting to know each other. He found out she lived alone, knew she had a big brother who was studying overseas, a designer for a mother, and a social worker for a father. She liked the color blue, but it seemed as if she also favored pink. And she aspired to become an artist; she wasn't that good, but she hoped to improve her skills. Shuichi had given her words of encouragement, before proceeding to tell her more about himself. But, his nerves made him develop a strange behavior and he soon found himself unable to cease his talking. Botan had been patient the whole time during his supposedly short 'introduction' which soon turned into what was similar to a fifteen-minute lecture, and Shuichi was more than grateful for her understanding. But, silence had immediately engulfed them soon after, neither knowing what to say to the other.

As the food they had ordered arrived, Shuichi decided that he had had enough. This tense silence was prolonging too much. Sneaky a fleeting glance at the girl who was distracted by the delicious delicacies displayed on the table to notice, Shuichi leaned back in his chair and proceeded to retrieve his cell phone from his pocket. He discreetly texted Hiei, informing him of his dire situation and unexpectedly asking for advice. Hiei had texted back with a laughing emoji, and though he spent another minute sending Shuichi teasing messages, he soon told the redhead to call him up on his cell. Shuichi, irritation dying down, agreed to it in a heartbeat.

When he looked up, he realized Botan was staring at him with pursed lips. "Um," he started, holding up his cellphone for her to view, "I have to make a call. Do you mind?"

"Ah, er, no, sure, go ahead," she had replied with a half-smile, watching him as he nodded her way and gave her one last quirk on the lips before making his way to the men's toilet. Distinctly, he could hear her expel a deep, slightly exasperated sigh, but hadn't had the time to make sure if he didn't imagine it as she was quick on slipping her smile back.

That small voice at the back of his mind told him that he was doing something wrong, that he was making a fool of himself. But, he ignored it, thinking that whatever it was, Hiei would know how to fix it.

* * *

It took him about another half an hour to get off the phone. And when he did, he realized that Botan was no longer in her seat.

Panic struck at his heart as he pondered if she got tired of waiting and went ahead home. He sighed, but that soon changed into a breath of relief as he felt a small tap at his shoulder and whirled around to see Botan behind him.

"Botan." He smiled widely at her, unable to contain his relief. "Thank goodness, I thought you left. Why did you leave your seat? Toilet, I presume?"

But, the girl frowned deeply and shook her head. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong, that small voice informed him. His suspiscions were further confirmed as Botan said, in a low, almost inaudible murmur, the words, "Let's go."

He blinked. "Go?"

"Yeah." She nodded, her features hardening. "Go. Let's get out of here."

This time, it was his turn to frown. "Why? Did I do something to upset you? If I did-"

"Please, Shuichi." Her voice was soft, almost pleading as she looked straight into his eyes. "Let's just go."

Shuichi began to experience a nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach, the sound of his drumming heart almost piercing in his ears as he all but nodded his head. After paying for the food without even being permitted the slightest taste, the lovers went straight out of the restaurant.

Botan walked beside him, but she was dead silent, eyes fixed on the ground beneath their feet as she avoided meeting his. And it wasn't the 'I-don't-know-what-to-say-to-you' silence that had engulfed them prior at the restaurant – it was an angry kind of silence, as if he had hurt her in some way. It caused a dark cloud to overloom his head, his thoughts now plagued with endless fears of losing her as he fought to push them away and allowed her some time to cool down before she'd decided that she was ready to talk to him.

When she did, they were at the park. Botan had flopped down on a swing and gestured for him to do the same. He was slow in his movements as he stepped closer and took a seat on the one next to hers.

She inhaled a deep breath. "What was that?" she asked, instead of offering him an elaboration of the reason she was upset. He blinked, then slowly, almost too slowly for his taste, questioned back,

"What was what?" He was truly clueless, and it aggravated him that this was happening at the wrong time.

She gaped at him for a while, but then turned her head away and heaved a soft sigh. Her feet pushed at the ground underneath the soles of her white sandals, and her swing began to move. The air was quiet for a few moments, before her voice soon resonated in his ears. "I'm sorry, I guess I kind of overreacted. I mean, I thought- I assumed you were talking to some other girl." She seemed to relax now, albeit not completely. The wrath was gone now, taking its place was slight distrust.

"Why would you think so?" he asked, his brows knitted together in a confused frown. She flushed bright red, almost as if thinking herself as foolish.

Her head hung low. "My last ex used to do that… on our dates. He would get up and randomly take up an 'emergency' call, when in reality he was talking to a friend of mine he cheated me with. And I- I just got paranoid that you might be doing the same thing," she finally explained.

Shuichi sighed. "Botan." He gazed deeply into her eyes, hoping against hope that she would believe him on this one. "I would never do that. I told you I was sincere, didn't I?"

She slowly nodded, the corners of her mouth curling upwards into a solemn smile. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm still not used to this whole thing. I mean, it's been so long since I've tried to open up to someone and, well, it's sort of a habit now, to doubt people from time to time."

"That's understandable," he swiftly assured her when he saw that she was drifting into self-loathing mode, "after all the heartbreaks you've went through. I just- I don't mind it. You can take it slow, I didn't mean to rush you. Take as much time as you want before deciding whether or not I'm deserving of your trust," he told her, whilst reprimanding himself not to expect too much from her for now. When she was ready, she would come around. He was sure of that.

Botan nodded, and gave him a thankful smile, appreciative of his ability to understand and be patient with her. Something else occurred in her mind though, and the girl promptly leaned forward as she asked, "Who _were_ you talking to, by the way? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to- I was just curious, that's all."

He smiled, but shook his head. "It's fine, Botan. It has something to do with you anyway." In fact, everything had to do with her nowadays. Not that he minded it. "I was… talking to Hiei."

"Hiei?"

"Yes, Hiei. You know, the one who sits next to me in class?"

"Oh." A look of recognition crossed her features. " _That_ guy. Shizuru called him anti-social freak."

A delicate red eyebrow arched her way in an amused manner. "Oh, is that so?"

She nodded her head jovially, a laugh erupting from her throat. It was the first time he had ever heard her laugh, and he couldn't help but compare the sound to that of jingle bells. Except it was more pleasant.

"Yeah, but she also called him hot. 'Dark and handsome', she said," Botan went on, mimicking Shizuru gushing over Hiei, and earning a small chuckle from the redhead in return.

"I never knew Shizuru saw Hiei in that kind of light," Shuichi said humorously once his fits of chuckles died out in the air, "considering they're almost always trying to bite each other's heads off."

"Well," Botan shrugged, grinning from ear to ear, "Shizuru's better at hiding things than any of us are. Though her secrets tend to spill out whenever the rest of the girls start to gossip." She gave a short, girlish laugh, before it quickly faded away as she turned to look at him again. "You never told me why you were on the phone on Hiei. Or how any of it had anything to do with me, for that matter."

His smile wavered slightly as a pink hue came resting on his now warm cheeks. "I- well, I needed his advice."

"Advice?"

"Yes… I mean, you look really bored in the restaurant, and I wanted to know how I could… make the situation better."

She blinked at his words, but then she frowned. "You could have been yourself," she softly chided him, looking him in the eyes as he whirled his head to face her. "I would have liked you to be yourself, more than anything."

That threw him off guard. "Really?" he asked for confirmation, the startled look on his countenance giving away his usually well-hidden shock.

She nodded. "Yeah… I mean, if I were to really date you, I wouldn't want it to be with some fake version of you. I just… I'd really love it if it was just you. Nothing special, nothing too expensive, and nothing much to ask. Just… you," she finished, her front teeth chewing on her bottom lip.

He wanted to kiss her then.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She smiled that warm smile he felled in love with the first time he met her. "And another thing." She held up a finger as her features suddenly turned serious. "Next time if you have any questions regarding our relationship, then you can just go ahead and ask me. No need to go as far as asking for a third's person advice. Just be honest and let out whatever's bothering you."

He wanted to kiss her more than ever.

Shuichi hadn't even a tinge of doubt that the grin plastered on his face was the biggest he had ever given. To anyone. He nodded his head affirmatively, and Botan's smile broadened ever so slightly. Silence surrounded them once more, but this time it was easy… comfortable. He stared at her, noting how beautiful she was before standing up from the swing. Botan blinked, eyeing him with baffled pools of amethysts as he suddenly took hold of both chains that was holding the swing up at her either side. His emerald eyes were deep and smoldering, seeming to pierce right through her soul, and it rendered her at a loss for words. His gaze dropped to the glossy texture of her pink lips for only a fleeting second before he locked eyes with hers again. Then, he gave into temptation, and leaned down, touching her lips with his. Soft, brief, and chaste, he pulled apart almost immediately.

But then, she grabbed him by the collar and tugged him down. Her lips met his again, and she kissed him, kissed him for all she was worth.

* * *

" **Can I talk to you for a second?** "

Shuichi hadn't expected a call, especially not when it was well past midnight. He had absent-mindedly rummaged through the night stand beside his bed, clutching his cell and flicking it open the moment his fingers found what he was looking for. Shuichi hadn't expected a call, especially not from his girlfriend who barely tried to initiate one. But, her number glared at him in bright white on the blinding screen that served as the only light in the dimly lit room, and he had accepted the call without another second wasted. His mind had been in a drowsy state, but he had been ready to jump up the bed and cycle his way to her house upon hearing her sniffle.

Had she been crying?

"Yes, yes, sure. What is it?" His body tensed, his voice panic and his eyes were wide with alarm. There was another sniffle from the other line, a long, almost interminable pause echoing painfully in the air, before her voice reverberated in his ears.

" **I can trust you, right, Shuichi?** " He frowned, wondering if he had done something to make her doubt his loyalty again. He threw his legs over the bed, but said yes without any hesitation. Silence. From the other side of the phone. It was silent again. But, he waited patiently for her to say something. She would tell him when she was ready, he would wait. For as long as it would take.

" **My place in five minutes.** " Another pause, almost as if she was uncertain. " **Is that okay? I mean, I know your place is really close to mine, but… I understand it's late, and that you probably want to go back to sleep.** "

"Three minutes." Already, he was putting on his pants. His white buttoned down shirt laid on his swivelling chair and he grabbed it, sliding it on without a second thought. "And I'm fine. I'll be fine. But, you're not."

" **…** **Are you sure? I mean, it's past two in the morning. We can always talk at school-** "

"No," he firmly cut her off. "This won't wait. I'm coming now." He knew she wouldn't approach him at school. And what kind of boyfriend would he be if he were to fall soundly asleep when his girlfriend obviously had something bothering her?

The other line felled quiet again. Sounds of shuffling, followed by her cute, little sniffles. Then, she uttered, " **Okay. I'll wait.** "

He hung up after promising her he would be there in less than five minutes. Slipping out his room, he made sure that his mother was still asleep and wouldn't notice him sneaking out before he exited the house, making his way to Botan's.

* * *

When Botan opened the door for him, she had breathed his name in relief. Her eyes were sore, serving as enough testimony that she _had_ been crying. It broke his heart to see her like this, but he knew there was more time for questions, so he merely took off his shoes as she shut the door close. She guided him to the nearly empty living room, where she flopped down on the couch and he followed suit.

"D-did I do something wrong again?" he asked, voice fearful, and eyes wide with trepidation and alarm. Botan frowned, before frantically shaking her head as a response.

"No," she reassured him, "No, you didn't do anything. You're nice, and- perfect. Really kind to me. It's just- I just- ummm…"

"Botan." His hand found hers, squeezing lightly before he intertwined their fingers together. She looked up at him; his features were dead serious, his voice stern as he went on, "Whatever it is, please tell me."

"Shuichi, I'm not sure if you even want to know-"

For the first time, he was actually frustrated with her, expressing it with a deep sigh. "Botan, I wouldn't have come up here when it's nearly three o'clock if I didn't want to know. Hell, I'm even _dying_ to know." His eyes softened, as he once again gave her hand a tight squeeze. "Please tell me," he practically begged, his pools of emerald silently pleading with her, "Please."

Botan was silent for a moment, as if hesitating, but upon feeling the featherlike touches of his thumb running smoothly over the skin at the back of her hand, she relented. Her body relaxed, her shoulder slouched down, and she stared out the window.

"I… I came across my dad."

He blinked. "Your dad?"

She nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, my dad." Her mouth then curved upwards into a bitter, solemn smile, her eyes in deep remorse and sorrow. "I- he and my mom… they were really upset with me."

"Why?"

"Because I haven't kept in contact with them for two months," she answered, watching as surprise crossed her boyfriend's features. His countenance softened soon after though, as they looked straight into hers. And if catching on to the silent question, she proceeded to go on, "I've been avoiding them, you see. I mean, they don't really _beat_ me- well, my dad does, and… Shuichi, please calm down," she spoke as she could sense him emitting waves of anger the moment the confession about her father echoed in the cold, stifling air. The redhead seemed to relax a little, but she could tell that his form was still frigid. Calm, but frigid. But, it was enough for now. "Anyway, he's been cheating on my mom. It's not much of a surprise, he always cheats anyway. And mom… she's just- changed. She's not the loving, gentle mother I once knew her as." A sob racked through her being, and the tears finally came free, cascading down her tears in rapid waterfalls.

Two fingers cupped her chin, turning her head to Shuichi as his lips descended on her flesh, kissing away the tears. She heaved a sigh; a small, contented sigh, feeling as if the pain was slowly beginning to drift away with each contact of his warm mouth against her equally warm skin. "S-she's an alcoholic. S-she used to be a rehab, and she goes in and out of there on more times than I can remember. She doesn't exactly raise her hand on me- but, she's just, she spits out harsh words. Really hurtful, harsh words. Things like 'I wish you were never born', 'Die' and…" Her violent sobs threatened to drown out the rest of her words, and Shuichi quickly hushed her, bringing her into her arms as she fought to regain composure. When she did, she sniffed into his chest, her hands tightly gripping to his shirt.

"To be honest, I could deal with the hits. I could deal with the spankings. But, I just- I couldn't take anymore second of listening to her. Couldn't stay there while knowing my own mom doesn't want me. She thinks I'm a disgrace, a curse, blaming me for my dad's growing boredom of her. But, why? It isn't fair! I never did anything wrong, and yet…" Her body quivered, and it didn't take him long to realize she was crying again. It angered him to no end to know she was treated like this, to hear her confide her fears in him, but he couldn't afford to wallow in his own wrath. Botan needed him. Needed him now more than ever. And he would be there for her.

Shuichi tightened the embrace, his arms clinging to her like a vice as his mind searched desperately for a solution to soothe her fears. But, he found none. So he could do nothing but hold her. He continued to listen to her, unconditionally, as she began to spout out more and more of the emotional torment she had been enduring, going from her awful childhood to her friends and lovers who only served to increase the scars marring her kind heart. He ran his fingers through her locks of blue, whispering comforting words into her ear all the while. He held her until she stopped crying. Until she felled asleep.

He left her in the morning. After she woke up. After he gave her a final kiss goodbye before promising he would see her again.

His mother must be worried sick about him, he was sure, and it filled him with deep regret that he hadn't even bothered to inform her of his whereabouts, forgetting as he had been too absorbed in the whole thing with Botan. But, he didn't regret coming to her. Didn't even regret listening to her problems. In fact, it made him love her impossibly more than he already did.

His mother would just have to forgive him.

* * *

"Are you sure it's true? I mean, it could be a rumor, for all we know…"

Shuichi looked up from his bento as the hushed whispers and weird stares from the boys sitting at the other end of the cafeteria gained his attention. The rest of Yusuke's and Kuwabara's nonsensical bickering was blocked out by his own thoughts as his ears perked up to pick up more of the incessant voices, his instincts warning him of something awful to come.

"Rumor, my ass!" one boy with brown hair growled, the animosity in his blue eyes almost reflecting a boundless fury. "Some girl saw him going and leaving her house. And what about that 'rumor' we heard about them being in a fancy restaurant together? Or how he kissed her at the park?"

Shuichi was dumbfounded. Shocked, to say the least. Fancy restaurant? Kiss at the park? Were they talking about… No, it couldn't be. A lot of people went to fancy restaurants, a lot of people made out at the park. He had no reason to be paranoid. Truth be told, he hadn't minded their fellow students knowing about their relationship, but _Botan_ had wanted to keep it a secret. She feared ruining his reputation, feared of what others might think of him. And even after much persuassion from him, he failed to convince her, and in order to ease her worries, he had complied. But, how would she react if rumors about them were to spread? How would she- She might get scared, she might try to push him away, thinking it was best for the both of them- No, he shouldn't think too much about this. They might be talking about someone else.

So why was his heart pounding?

"Where did you hear all this, anyway?" the other boy spoke, brushing his spiky blonde with white bangs hair back in a vain way. His green orbs scrutinized his companion in a way that seemed similar to a scientist studying a newfound species. The brown-haired boy noticed the look and snorted.

"Don't look at me like I'm some sort of lab rat," he growled, his voice venomous. His friend said nothing to ease his anger, and merely raised his hands up in defense. "I know what I heard. I even asked my sister to stalk them."

"You asked _Koto_ to stalk them?"

"What else was I supposed to do? Do it myself? I would get caught in an instant. At least, Koto knows how to be stealthy. She's good at that. She's not known as the school's 'paparazzi' for no reason, after all. She can find out things neither of us can imagine."

"Hmm, well, can't say I don't agree with you on that." A pause lingered in the air. "But, are you sure? I mean, Botan Fukuyama and Shuichi Minamino? That's an odd combination, even for lab partners."

Shuichi felt his heart stop. Literally. But then it started beating again, just as his face began to drain its color.

"Yeah, I'm sure. What do you take my sister for, a compulsive liar?" The brunette snorted. "But seriously though, to think the great Shuichi Minamino would date an average girl… Ha! And I thought he was too superior!" There was a bunch of snickers, before it quickly grew louder to become full-fledged fits of obnoxious laughter.

"Then again, that Fukuyama girl isn't that average, either… I mean, just look at that blue hair and those eyes." The blonde sighed dreamily. "I had never thought she would go for someone like Minamino."

"Or maybe that's to be expected, you know," the brown-haired guy spoke again, with an infuriating smirk attached to his lips. "I mean, pretty girls like her would usually go for guys like him. You know, the 'higher-up's of the male population. Ha! And she doesn't even talk to us."

"Yeah! Remember when we tried to approach her? The bitch went all white in the face like she had seen a ghost and ran away!"

Shuichi could feel his trepidation gradually, rapidly dying down, as brewing rage took its place, burning his sides with a hatred he never thought he could possess. _Bitch_? That asshole had the _nerve_ to call _his_ Botan a _bitch_? People mocking him he could take, but a word of insult thrown his lover's way? He would rather die than hear more of it.

"Now now, relax. Can't blame the _whore_ for wanting to reserve herself especially for the great Shuichi Minamino, now can we?"

"Yeah." A laugh; a mocking laugh which served to make Shuichi's blood boil even more. "What, she thinks she's better than us or something? She acts like some sort of virgin but then she throws herself at Shuichi like all the other sluts in this school do."

"That's probably what she is. A _slut_."

"Ha-ha! Right?"

"She probably just wants Minamino for all the fame. She doesn't really care about him. Girls like her are like that. Money-digging whores."

"Ouch! _Burn_ …"

Voices dripped with taunting sarcasm, and before Shuichi even knew it, he was already standing up from his seat and stomping his way to the assholes who dared speak badly of Botan. He would teach them a lesson. A lesson they would never forget.

Hiei and Yusuke got up as well to cool him down, their voices calling out his name, but even that didn't stop him from taking the brown-haired boy by the collar and pummeling him to the ground.

* * *

" _Can I see him?_ "

A voice, so awfully familiar and fear-stricken, echoed in his barely conscious mind. His fingers twitched. Botan?

" _Thank you._ " He heard the sound of a chair screeching against the floor as it was pulled back. A body flopped down on it. " _Oh, Shuichi…_ " Fingers; warm, tender fingers grazed the bruises on his cheeks, to his –probably– broken nose, and finally to his blood-smeared lips, before reaching upwards to push his fiery red bangs from his closed eyelids, the blood staining the tips almost dry. The hand pulled away. " _I knew it was a mistake. Us being together. I can't do this anymore. I don't want to see you get hurt._ " A drop of water felled to his cheek, before it slowly trickled down his mouth. It entered through his slightly parted lips, filling his tastebuds with its salty tang. A tear? " _I'm sorry, but… this is over. We're over._ "

He heard the chair being pushed back, as if the person sitting on it had stood up. God help him, he tried so hard to open his eyes. But, he couldn't. He couldn't no matter how much he tried. He heard footsteps walk away, before they came to a halt, and abruptly back-tracked to his bed.

" _I love you, Shuichi._ "

Warm lips met his in an instant.

They were gone as soon as he started to respond to the kiss.

"Bo… tan…" His hand instantly grabbed hers, his voice cracking a little. He wasn't sure if it was because of the flow of tears threatening to come out, or if it was because his voice box was literally broken. But, he didn't care. He needed her. He needed her, so he pleaded, "Don't go…"

Shuichi imagined Botan's eyes soften, the sadness in her depthful amethyst orbs evident. He imagined her lips; lips he had kissed, pulling upwards into a bitter smile. He felt her other hand clutched his, her pliant fingers trying to pry his stubborn ones to let go.

He tried to cling on to her as best as he could, but by the time the single tear cascaded down his left cheek, she was already gone. Gone. Never to come back. Gone. Disappeared from his life. Gone. How could he go on living now-

"Shuichi."

A voice, rougher and deeper, like it belonged to a _male_ , called out to him in the midst of his sleep. Awoken, he fluttered his eyelids open, his vision blurry before giving way to allow him a clearer view. He tilted his head to the side, and came eye to eye with a pair of crimson.

"Hi… ei?" he said, with a bit of difficulty. Hiei's features softened, before he nodded his head back in greeting.

Shuichis's voice didn't crack, but it was hoarse, almost as if it was on the verge of healing. Maybe it was. He reached a hand absent-mindedly to touch his nose, realizing that it was no longer broken. How long had he been out?

Hiei, sensing the redhead's urge to look at himself, went and retrieved a mirror from the nurse's purse. She had left to tend to some other patient. The short male didn't think it would hurt.

He handed the mirror to Shuichi, who muttered a small, barely audible 'thank you' in return. Green eyes stared deeply into crimson ones. Shuichi wanted to apologize. Wanted to say that he was sorry for the trouble he must have caused him, Yusuke and the others. But, he couldn't seem to find his voice. And even when he did, he could barely say a word that could be deemed comprehensible.

It was frustrating.

Fortunately, Hiei got the message, and shook his head. "No need," he answered simply, his voice lacking its usual sarcasm as it held an almost gentle edge in it. "It's what friends are for."

"Tha…"

"Don't speak. You'll only worsen the condition of your voice. Doctor said you should at least wait for another week."

Another week? Shuichi couldn't help but frown at that. A week meant seven days. Seven days before he could see Botan. Seven days before he could talk to her. Seven days… How _was_ she doing right now? Did she come to visit him? Where was she?

Hiei seemed to know who he was thinking about, just as the first syllable of her name barely escaped his lips.

"She came by a day ago," the shorter male responded to the silent question, "She was… crying. But, she left five minutes later. She said… she said that… that it's better if you two stop seeing each other for a while." Hesitance was evident in Hiei's voice and tense body language, almost as if he didn't want to tell Shuichi all of this. But, he knew he had to. Shuichi deserved to know. "She said… she has a lot on her mind… and that she can't talk to you unless she sort things out. I didn't really get what she was saying- Shuichi, are you okay?" he asked in panic as he saw Shuichi's eyes water. The redhead shook his head, and shut his eyes close, in an attempt to prevent the tears from coming.

"I-I'm fine," he forced out through the pain coursing as he tried to let out his voice, but it wasn't too convincing. Botan had left him? She had truly left him? Why?

" _One chance, and if you mess it up, I'll leave._ "

Of _course_. He screwed things up.

And the dream he had? That wasn't a _dream_. It had been a _memory_. She _had_ came to visit him, she _had_ kissed him, and she _had_ bid him farewell. She had left him.

She had left him, and he couldn't even go to her.

* * *

A week later, he was discharged from the hospital.

He found out a while ago from Yusuke that he had been out cold for three whole weeks. Usually, his wounds wouldn't have healed that easily, but Genkai-baasan, a herbal doctor close to the delinquent's family, helped to speed up the healing process. Shuichi remembered the first time he and Hiei met her, thinking that her skills were a joke, but she quickly proved them wrong.

Shuichi smiled as he felt the bone-chilling breeze come into contact with his skin, his red hair flowing with the wind as he heaved a contented sigh.

He was finally free.

But, he wasn't all too happy.

Botan had been avoiding his calls. She didn't pick up no matter how much he tried to get to her, didn't reply no matter the immeasurable amount of texts he sent her. It broke his heart to think they were over just like that. But, he couldn't blame her. He was in the wrong. And he couldn't think that their relationship had ended. Botan might had said so, as subtle as she had been, but he would never accept that. Not when he was head over heels for her. Not when he wanted her in his future more than anything. Not when she loved him back.

So he was determined more than ever now. He wouldn't let her slide without even listening to him explain. He wouldn't let her go.

He would talk to her today.

Rain plopped down soon as he got out the house and told his mother that he would be back soon. _Drip-drop_ it went as they came into contact with his form, soaking his hair and everything else it touched. He ran through the heavy downpour, uncaring of this little obstacle that stood in the way of getting to Botan.

He didn't bother to take a moment's rest. Didn't even bother to pick up the worn shoe that had slipped from his foot. He knocked on her door, and Botan had opened it without even suspecting it was him.

He watched as the surprise dawned on her features, but Botan being Botan, she was smooth enough to slip on a stoic mask as she eyed him. He had one foot bare, his hair slumped down and matted to his face, his body soaked from head to toe. And she just stared down at him like it had no effect on her. But, he _knew_ her. He _understood_ her. And even if it had been only for a fraction of a second, he had seen the way her eyes softened, almost as if she was about to relent, but then tensed again as she recalled the purpose of their separation.

"What are you doing here?" she inquired apathetically, trying to appear indifferent. But, she was _Botan_ , and no matter how hard she tried, she could never feign indifference. At least, not when it came to him.

Shuichi didn't let it get to him. "I wanted- no, _needed_ , to talk to you," he whispered, beyond caring of the desperate edge dripping heavily in his voice. His pools of amethysts begged, pleading with her. "Please."

Botan didn't let him in at once; seeming to stare at the space beside his head with a blank look stuck on her countenance. Her fist had clenched around the doorknob before she turned to peer at him again, and for a moment, he feared rejection.

But, she said yes.

"I see your voice has recovered," Botan spoke evenly as she locked the door behind her. Shuichi waited for her to enter the hallway first before he took off his shoes, arranged them neatly and followed after her.

"I-" It was only when they reached the living room did Shuichi finally muster up the courage to speak. "I healed fast, thanks to Genkai."

Botan walked up to the fire she had built at the fireplace, taking a seat on the floor as she brought her cold, shivering hands closer to sap some warmth into her skin. She then looked over her shoulder at him. "Come over here. You must be freezing," she told him, and he was more than happy to oblige.

"Stay here while I get you some spare clothes. I think I remember washing my brother's when he came to visit. He never got around to fetch them back," she added, just as he sat on the floor in front of the warm fire. He went to tell her there was no need for such a thing, but one glance at the stern expression on her features silenced even a word of protest. He watched her disappear into a corner before expelling a sigh through slightly parted lips.

Botan hadn't actually been as warm as she had usually been around him – that blank look was always almost there – but at least, he was thankful that she hadn't tried to push him away. She hadn't left him in the cold. But then again, Botan was never cruel enough to do that to anyone.

She came back with a white undershirt and a pair of blue pants. She handed the pieces of clothing to him, telling him that there was a spare room at the right corner where he could change. Shuichi smiled. She had blushed. She tried to feign apathy, but the pink tinge that colored her cheeks couldn't possibly had been just his imagination.

He felt a sudden urge to tease her, but held back upon reminding himself that they still had things to talk over. And Botan probably wouldn't appreciate him goofing around when they were supposed to be serious. It would have helped to ease the tension, sure, but Shuichi couldn't take the risk.

One wrong move, and he might lose her forever.

Shuichi sauntered his way to her, taking a seat, closer than before, next to her in front of the fire after he'd finished changing into a more comfortable outfit. Her brother's clothes fitted oddly well with him, except the pants were a bit too long and he had to fold the hem up in fear of dragging them across the floor. A sigh of relief left his lips as he felt the warmth of the fire sap through his skin, heating up his icy flesh.

"Why did you do it?"

Botan's voice spoke within the dimly lit room, barely a hushed whisper as it escaped her quivering, orange-dyed lips. Shuichi knew what she was talking about.

"They were making fun of you," he answered, his voice soft, but the underlying anger unmistakeable. He recalled the words they had said to her, and that served to make his blood boil even more.

Her head whirled around to face him, her eyes red and wide with anger. " _That's it_? That's all it took for you to lose all self-control and go around punching guys you don't even know? Oh, the idiocy-"

"You mean a lot to me," he retorted, seeming equally exasperated as she was. Being called an idiot he could take, but being looked down for his feelings towards the girl he loved _by_ the girl he loved more than anything in the whole wide world was beyond even his acception and tolerance. "That's just how much I care about you."

Her features softened, but the firmness was still there. He knew she had more to say. "You still shouldn't have done it. Don't you realize how stupid it is?"

"How is it stupid, Botan?" His voice was rising up a notch, he was acutely aware of this. But, he couldn't ignore how much her words stung. How much they sent a pricking sense of pain to the middle of his chest. Like a snake coiling around his heart. Like a knife stabbed through it. He couldn't take it. "I love you, and that's all that matters. That's all that's supposed to matter. So why are you upset? Because I took a couple of punches for you? Because I was sent to the hospital because of you? Well, guess what? I regret none of it. Why? Because I did it for _you_. And those boys deserved what they had coming after everything they had said about you. You're dear to me than most people and I won't allow them –anyone– to speak badly of you!"

Botan was surprised over his outburst, the slight fear in her amethyst irises serving to calm him down a little. But, that wasn't enough. Not even barely enough. And especially not when she was standing up and walking away. She was trying to escape.

"I can't do this," she murmured, tears forming at the back of her eyelids. "I can't do this anymore." Her voice broke at the last word, the crystalline tears falling freely down her cheeks now. "You have to leave-"

"I won't." Shuichi stood and grabbed her by the wrist before she could even take another step. He took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Where are you going?" he asked, his wrathful and hurtful eyes seeming to bore into her soul. "You run. You're always running. From me. From everything. And I won't have that anymore."

Botan gained a newfound strength and managed, somewhat, to struggle her way out of his grasp. Why couldn't he understand? Why couldn't he get why she was doing this? Did he think it didn't hurt her as well?

"What do you expect me to do then, Shuichi?" She was screaming; screaming at the top of her lungs, and this startled the redhead. But, she couldn't care. Didn't care. "A couple of punches? You could have died! You almost did! What would have happened if Hiei and Yusuke hadn't took you to the hospital? You would have died from all the blood loss!" She stepped forward, landing hits and punches on his chest. "And you have the nerve to tell me it was because of me? Do you think I _want_ that? You think I'd be _happy_ , knowing you risked your life because of me? I can't! I don't want that! I don't want the person I love the most to get hurt because of me! I-I really hate that! More than me getting hurt, more than anyone else getting hurt!"

Shuichi didn't try to fight her punches. Didn't even want to. They hurt a bit, but he could care less. He deserved this after everything he had put her through. He wrapped his arms around her as she collapsed into a bundle of shivering, bawling mess. Her tears were warm against his clothed chest, he noticed, and he hated himself for upsetting her. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he placed his lips near her ear. He held her, uttering his words of apologies over and over again, his voice urgent and desperate, as she continued to cry.

It took her a half an hour to calm down. And when she did, they were sitting in front of the fire again. But, she was on his lap. She didn't look at him, and he wondered if she forgave him.

"Why go this far?"

It was a hushed whisper, almost nonexistent, but he caught it, the words clear to him as crystal.

"What do you mean?" he inquired softly as he curled a strand of her blue hair around his index finger.

She finally turned to look at him. Stared at him straight in the eyes as the words left her. "Why go this far? Sending me flowers everyday, trying so hard to talk to me, coming to my house in the middle of the night just so you can comfort me, nearly getting yourself killed- why? Why go through all that? I-" Her gaze downcasted to her hands, her head hung low to hide her eyes from him. "I'm not even worth the trouble."

Shuichi thought over his response. Didn't he already tell her? She was special, different and he loved her. Should one not go through such lengths for those he held dear? This conversation reminded him of the first one they had; but there was a clear distinction now compared to then. He had told her she was special, yes, but he didn't tell her why. Because at the time he didn't know. At the time, he didn't know the real her. But now that he did, he realized what it was that drew him to her. And he wouldn't keep it to himself. He would tell it to her. And repeat the words over and over again in the upcoming future, just like he promised.

"You _are_ worth it, Botan," he said firmly as he took her by the shoulders and spun her around. "You are warm, kind, sweet and gentle. You're not vain, and though you have a lot of problems in life, you are strong. You keep your head up high, you get up everytime you fall. You never think illy of others, focusing instead on their best attributes. You never-" He inhaled a deep breath. "-saw me as someone else. You never saw me as the handsome, famous, sought after Shuichi Minamino. You saw me as who I really was. And you accepted me, all the good, and even all the bad. And I love you more than anything for that."

Her eyes softened, but she shook her head. "What if I told you I was greedy, selfish and easily jealous? What if I said I hid underneath fake smiles, beneath the false hope that I was alright? What if I- what if I said I want you all to myself? What if you get tired of me? What if I was a motormouth, I tend to say things I shouldn't. What if your friends don't like me?"

He nearly laughed. It wasn't funny –no, it was just cute. To see her rambling along like this.

Shuichi tilted her chin, holding her head upwards as his lips descended on her forehead. "Then I'm possessive, self-centered and at times, emotionally detached." His mouth trailed to her eyelids, which fluttered close upon contact. "Everyone wears that mask –that fake smile at least at one point of their lives. It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it's proof of your strength." He pecked her nose, smiling at the giggle he managed to elicit from her. "Nothing would make me happier than you wanting me all to yourself." He landed a kiss squarely on her lips, silencing her girlish laughter. "I would never get tired of you," and another, "I find your constant rambling to be awfully endearing. And my friends won't hate you. They'll like you. A person with a big heart such as yours- they would, trust me," and another, and another, before he gave her one last firm kiss.

Botan seemed breathless as he pulled apart. Her cheeks flushed bright pink, her mouth swollen from the kiss, and her eyes half-lidded as she inhaled greedy intakes of air.

She was absolutely divine.

Her eyes shut close. "And if-" She took a shaky breath. "-if I wasn't the person you want me to be?"

He cupped her cheeks with both hands, watching as her eyelashes slowly flicked open to focus on the smile on his lips. "Then I would love you no matter what."

That seemed to be all it took; all it took and he had broken through all her defenses. The walls, ones that stood so proudly tall, finally collapsed, just as she buried her head into his chest and took a whiff of his scent. He smelled heavily of roses. It had a soothing effect on her.

She sighed. "I forgive you-" Then she lifted her gaze to meet his, giving him a long, hard look. "-but you have to promise you won't do it again."

"I promise." He nodded, and her features brightened up into a smile. But, it soon faltered as her gaze drifted to the bandages wrapped tightly around his arms, his neck and even some parts of his face. His flesh had little, barely could be seen cuts, going from his forehead and down to his cheeks and chin.

The wounds had healed. But, the scars had remained.

She cupped his left cheek with her right hand, running her thumb softly over a small cut along his jawline before darting her gaze to his face again. Her eyes locked with his and she asked, "Did it hurt?"

Instantly, he knew what she meant. "It was nothing compared to the pain I put you through."

She gazed at him fo a while, before heaving a soft sigh and burying her head into his chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, words slightly muffled against him. He smiled, and lying his chin on the top of her hair, he pulled her closer as he uttered,

"I love you."

And he had felt her lips curl upwards into what he suspected was a happy smile against his chest. She pulled away, and true enough, her features were bright with that jovial grin. Her pools of amethysts, vibrant now more than ever, spoke of deep promises and boundless yearning. Filled with love and affection as she cupped his cheeks and looked straight into his emerald ones.

Then, in the midst of the drip-drop of the rain outside, the crackling of the fire inside, and his own heart pounding in his chest, her voice, barely a hushed whisper, echoed with those four words he had waited for so long to hear,

"I love you too."

* * *

It was Botan's birthday.

Eight years had passed since then. They had went through various obstacles, but they had been together, so it wasn't as hard as it was than to deal with it alone. They went to the same university after graduating, took their respective courses, then bought an apartment and started living there together as soon as they stepped into adulthood. They were both twenty-six now, and he was now fulfilling his dreams of becoming a florist, whilst she chased after hers of becoming a true, inspirational artist.

It was perfect.

Everything was perfect.

Or at least it was supposed to be.

It was Botan's birthday.

And Shuichi was late.

Botan decided that she couldn't take anymore of the unbearable wait. Ignoring her friends' loud chattering, laughing voices in the background, she pulled out her cellphone and proceeded to type in her boyfriend's number. It rang for some time, but the line never got connected no matter how many times she tried.

Where was he?

He was supposed to close up the flower shop two hours ago. _Two hours_. What could he possibly be doing? He was late. And he had never been late. Not once on her birthday. Negative thoughts began to fill the recesses of her mind, but she quickly shook them off. No, she couldn't think anything like that. They had long since surpassed that. She trusted him, he trusted her, they loved each other and that was more than she could ever ask for. But, he still was late and she was tired of waiting-

She shrieked in joy as the phone rang, Shuichi's caller ID on the screen in white, glaring numbers. She didn't even notice her friends' snickers as she went out the balcony, phone in hand and by her ear.

"Shuichi! Where are you? You're a couple of hours late! I really miss you, and it's not fair that you're making me wait this long."

A chuckle. " _Well, you don't have to wait anymore_ ," he replied, tone vague, and she could just imagine a cryptic smile plastered on his face. But, something else caught her attention.

She blinked. That was odd. He sounded so awfully close. His voice sounding just as it would when speaking to her face to face. It was almost as if he was… behind… her…

Botan spun around, her ponytail swishing behind her as she caught the smiling redhead before her. A-ha! So she _was_ right! He'd been behind her this whole time? How did he get in? Oh, never mind that. Why was he late? The cheeky bastard didn't even tell her what he was up to-

Was that a small box he held in his right hand?

Her nagging was reduced to a startled gasp as revelation dawned on her features. Her mouth opened and closed, opened and closed, and repeated the process over and over again. Don't tell her- was he going to-

Shuichi bent on one knee and opened the box to reveal a diamond ring. His mouth pulled upwards into a warm smile, he stared at her lovingly as he took her hand in his and uttered the magic words,

"Will you marry me, Botan?"

Tears of joy formed at the back of her eyes before she quickly ran towards him and threw herself into his arms. He laughed, catching her and spinning her around.

She had said yes.


End file.
